Joan R. Burger Obituary (1934 - 2021)

Joan R Burger, 87 years of age, of Beatrice passed away at Bryan West Hospital in Lincoln Thursday afternoon, December 9th, 2021. Joan was born on August 22, 1934 in Rural DeWitt to William and Lena (Tegeler) Brolhorst. She was baptized into the Lutheran faith on September 9th, 1934 at Trinity Lutheran Rural Wilber. She was confirmed in the same faith by Pastor Hein on August 24th, 1947. She attended Prairie Star school through 8th grade and graduated from DeWitt High School in 1951. Joan married Leonard Burger, her high school sweetheart on April 5th, 1953. Their love endured for over 68 years. Joan started her career at Beatrice National Bank. Soon after she and Leonard began their family. Mom and farmwife became her lifetime roles. Joan drove a school bus for Tri-County Schools for almost 35 years, where she watched multiple generations board her bus. Over the years she developed a respected cleaning business in homes, local businesses, and the high school. Joan was a member of First Trinity Lutheran Church rural Beatrice where she sang in the choir, was a Sunday school teacher, a member of LWML, Ladies Aid, and volunteered with the Orphan Train and Braille Society. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 212, and a past 4-H leader. Joan loved to dance, especially polka dancing with her husband, bowling, gardening, sewing, and could always be seen walking on the country roads for exercise. Family was always first and foremost of importance and she treasured the time spent with her grandchildren and great- grandchildren. Most of all Joan loved to bake and was known throughout the area for her homemade bread, caramel rolls and twister donuts. It brought her joy to share her baked goods with students who rode her bus, her church community, neighbors, friends and family. Survivors include her children; Phyl Burger of Woodbury, MN, Lyle (Pamala) Burger of Kearney, and Kim (Mike) Zellers of Omaha. 5 grandchildren: Ryan (Lisa) Burger of Lincoln, Melissa (Travis) Buckshire of Butler, PA, Matt Burger of Axtell, Neil (Vickie) Zellers of Richmond, TX, and Tyler Zellers of Manhattan, KS and 8 great-grandchildren; sister Berdina Oltman of Cortland, sister-in-law Marilyn Brolhorst of Beatrice sister-in-law Lila Brolhorst of Lincoln. She was preceded in death by her husband (8.21.21) her parents, her sisters: Evelyn Rahe and Verna Kiburz, her brothers Marvin and Virgil, brothers-in-law Harold Rahe, Jack Kiburz and Delmar Oltman. Funeral services for Joan are scheduled for Tuesday, December 14th, 2021 10:30 AM at First Trinity Lutheran Church, rural Beatrice with Reverend Timothy Wagner officiating. Interment will be at the First Trinity Lutheran cemetery. The body will lie in state from 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM Monday at the Griffiths- Hovendick Chapel in Beatrice with the family greeting friends from 5-7 PM and will lie in state Tuesday at the church after 9:30 AM. A family prayer service will be held at 10:10 AM Tuesday at the church school. A memorial has been established to the American Heart Association and to the First Trinity Cemetery Beautification Fund. Sign Joan's online guest book and watch her video tribute when completed at www.ghchapel.com These services have been entrusted to the Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel in Beatrice.